When I was asked by World Relief to capture a portrait of a woman who empowers and advocates for other women for their #ThankGodForWomen campaign immediately this beautiful woman came to mind so I was excited when she agreed to allow me to capture her and ask some questions about her current role as a social worker and her over 20 year journey in standing with vulnerable families. This is Tyesa. She empowers women and children by advocating for them and walking alongside families through some of the most traumatic times of their lives as they navigate the DCFS system. Her calming presence and amazing smile invites trust the moment you meet her. When I asked her about her calming presence, she said, “It’s easy to be calm in these hard situations, because I put myself in their shoes and think about how I would want to be treated… It’s a hard job, but when you love what you do, it makes it easy.”

Tyesa says the best part of her job is being able to help children achieve permanency, either through adoption or returning home. The most difficult part? When children can’t return home and get stuck in a backlogged court system. Becoming a foster parent myself has opened my eyes to the vulnerability of these children. Without loving, devoted, and caring people like Tyesa, they can get lost in an overwhelming system. Her ability to maintain hope, compassion, and empathy through more than 20 years of service is amazing. She sees hope and points others to it! I thank God for women like Tyesa because she has personally touched our family through her expertise and advocacy on behalf of our foster daughter. She has been a life line for us as we advocate together for our daughter's best interests.

Check out World Relief's instagram feed for the post & to celebrate other strong women like Tyesa and the female photographers capturing these important stories!

Reposted from World Relief: Over the years, we have worked with so many women who have been called by God to capture and share the stories of others through the lens of a camera. For the next few weeks, we will share the work of four of these photographers + the stories of women they have photographed. Today's photo and story comes from @roxengstrom (@hawaimages )

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)advocatecarefemalefosterphotographersreliefsocialstrongwomenworkerworldhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2018/3/thank-god-for-women-campaign-through-world-reliefFri, 02 Mar 2018 19:36:25 GMTStanding with Dreamershttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2018/1/standing-with-dreamers
Last night I heard stories from people from different countries bravely share their stories of coming to the United States as children. They are known as "Dreamers." Their stories are diverse. Some came to escape poverty, violence, or for a chance to study, a chance at the American Dream they had heard so much about. Many of them did not know about their status until they wanted to attend college and could not apply for any federal aid and were barred from state universities , or until they were in drivers education and discovered they had no social security number. Some found themselves "undocumented" because of a mistake of a lawyer. They all consider America their home. They found ways to survive, work, attend college, and add to this American experiment and I am grateful they are here. Immigration issues can be controversial, and like all issues, they are complex and require a lot of sharing, listening, and debating.

Dreamers are folks that came here as children and have grown up in America. The median age of entry for those now called Dreamers is 6 years old. Since 2012, around 800,000 Dreamers have applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or what has become known as DACA. This program allowed Dreamers to secure temporary work authorization and protection from deportation to those who passed background checks and pay fees (among other qualifications). Last night World Relief Dupage Aurora hosted a Love in Action Event: A Future for Dreamers and we heard stories from Dreamers from India, China, and Mexico as well as pastors and folks partnering with them.

I was struck by how varied and diverse their stories are and how much bravery it takes to stand in front of a room full of people and share these pieces of their stories that they had to hide for so long. A woman I have volunteered alongside at at World Relief named Ruth shared her status and story and I had tears in my eyes knowing about the amazing and important work she is doing here and listening to her fear of being deported. The first in her family to attend college she now empowers others and advocates on their behalf as a staffer at World Relief. As she shared, "no one wants to be illegal. We are only asking for a path to citizenship."

Liz, who became undocumented after a lawyer forgot to attach her dependent application to her mother's application shared that for a long time she did not speak up. She shared, "stories are powerful and deserve to be heard. I had a voice but was afraid to speak up but now it is my turn." She now is on the advisory board of Voices of Christian Dreamers and advocating for a timely and reasonable solution.

Matthew Sorens (coauthor of Seeking Refuge) and Susan Sperry (executive Director of WRDA) from World Relief helped those in attendance understand the current situation for DACA recipients as well as offer legal advice through the Legal Services team at World Relief. They also called us to examine our faith and what it means to offer hospitality. The Greek word used in scripture actually means love of stranger. God does not call us to love only those when it is convenient but we can offer love and compassion realizing we were once foreigners too. Pastor Obe ended the night with a prayer and a call for us all to help Dreamers be able to pursue a legal path to citizenship so they can pursue their God given gifts and calling. Even the cost of deporting the Dreamers as a whole would strain our economy and result in the loss of a projected $460.3 billion dollars for the U.S. GDP over the next decade. Deporting these folks and separating families woudl be a great loss to America. There has to be a better way forward that involves a process and dignity and Congress has the power to act!

At the close of the night we were encouraged to Pray, Serve, & Advocate. Praying for our leaders as they try to come to a solution for complex issues, pray for those living in constant fear of their status and being deported (one Dreamer shared that she feels like she lives her life in 2 year increments, afraid for the future), pray for families, and pray for our leaders. Pray for humility to understand for ourselves. Pray for us to see and hear each other and become aware of what we are being asked to do. There is a prayer guide available here.

Serve alongside World Relief or other organizations serving folks seeking to gain legal status and become our fellow citizens. As I have done this their stories and dreams for their families have reminded me why I am grateful for diversity in our country, that our collective voices make us stronger. Volunteer to welcome a refugee family as they resettle in the US, be a good neighbor to folks already here, make copies & serve alongside the legal team at an upcoming citizenship clinic.

Advocate by using YOUR VOICE- it matters. Congress has the power to act and come to a reasonable solution to this issue. Not all places in the world have this ability to voice their concerns to their representatives- don't take it for granted. I am challenging myself and YOU to get more informed about this issue, pray, volunteer, and act- join me in the #PowerToAct Challenge. I just used my voice to call my representative and senators with my son sitting on my lap. Click on this link and enter your information and your reps will CALL YOU and simply voice your solidarity with Dreamers!

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)actdacadreamersimmigrationpowerrelieftoworldhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2018/1/standing-with-dreamersWed, 31 Jan 2018 16:55:58 GMTWomen's March Chicago Jan 2018http://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2018/1/womens-march-chicago-jan-2018
Yesterday the Women's March in Chicago was estimated to have over 250,000 participants that gathered and marched through downtown on a rare sunny and warm(ish) January day. They marched for reasons as varied as those in attendance. I captured the event because awareness of this political climate is important. Everyone there has a story to share, people are not monolithic and their voices are important to our democracy. There are many voices not present at the march and theirs matter too. And my hope as Americans is that we come together and listen to one another and move forward together.

For me joining this march was about seeing for MYSELF what it was all about. It was about standing with people who feel left out by much of the current political climate. Who knows what the history books will say about this time in history when the dust settles but I want to help tell that story through capturing images of what the American experiment looks like right now. I want to stand for issues that matter to me like the way we dismiss sexual violence against women, immigration reform, DACA recipients being able to have a legal and reasonable way to stay in the country they know as home, refugee resettlement that treats those fleeing their homelands with dignity and respect (to name a few). I volunteer and work alongside people who have been demonized and marginalized and I can choose to use my voice of privilege to say that is NOT ok, to say that their presence in my life and in our country make us all better. I can affirm their humanity as dearly loved by God by standing aside and allowing their stories to be shared. The real test is what happens next- will we show up at the polls? Will we welcome our neighbors in ways that may cost us personally no matter what their faith or where they come from? Will we volunteer as ESL tutors to those on paths to citizenship? Will we insist that until we are all free to be ourselves none of us are really free? Will we suspend judgement and offer to be a part of solutions to complex problems we don't fully understand? Will we show up?...... not only to march but to stand with and for those whose very humanity is being questioned?

You could see the intersection of many issues and stories converging through the streets of Chicago yesterday and my hope was to capture some of that through images.

As I reflect on all the moments captured in 2017 I am exceedingly grateful to have been invited in to YOUR story!! Thank you for allowing me to do what I love & capture your beautiful, messy stories through my lens. It is an absolute privilege. Wish blessings on you all in 2018.

Styles 4 Kidz Fall held their Fall Soiree last week and I was able to capture them celebrating the good work this organization does in our community! This organization has personally touched me as a foster parent and mother of an African American daughter so I was so excited to partner with them to share their story. In the early days of our daughter living with our family I was is search of advice, education, and help with hair care and talked to them on the phone so when they reached out to have me help them tell the story of their big fall event I knew it was a perfect fit!

The night was full of fabulous food (sponsored by KitchFix), a silent auction of many great items and experiences, & wonderful live music. The event was held at the beautiful space at CSS Academy (please check out the good they are doing in Brookfield). Tamekia Swint , the Styles 4 Kidz founder & executive direction revealed their new logo, vision and mission statements, and website as well but the most impactful part of the night was Tamekia and others sharing stories of impact. We heard from a mother who adopted African American children and found herself overwhelmed with the hair care needs and received friendship and knowledge from S4K and from a director at a group home about the impact S4K has had on the youth in care that reside in the the group home. The pride and self esteem that comes from S4K involvement has been such an important aspect of their work because it has been a source of pride for the youth and a bridge in building ongoing relationships. There were many thanks and an award presented to Jennifer Ridder for her support and encouragement since the founding of S4K. There was lots of hugs and laughter and celebrating as well as a call to action to further support this work!

One thing was clear to me the entire night: Styles 4 Kidz is not just about hair- it is about so much more!

Please check out the good work they are doing to empower families through education for trans- racial adoptive families and build self esteem and cultural pride for young people in foster care. They are building a diverse community of people that celebrate and work for hair care with heart!!!

I am so grateful to partner with amazing organizations doing good & hard work in our communities! See more organization storytelling images here and contact me if storytelling images would give your organization a vital voice on social media & communicate your vision to others!

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)adoptionafricanamericancarechicagoforhairkidzngoorganizationphotographystorytellingstylestrans-racialvisualhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/11/hair-care-with-a-lot-of-heartThu, 30 Nov 2017 15:59:17 GMTdancing towards his dreamshttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/11/dancing-towards-dreams
I had the opportunity to meet Nigel and his Grandmother Sonya through Kate Danielson; my dear friend and founder of Foster Progress in Chicago. Foster Progress is the result of immense need for advocacy, mentorship, & education and I am always excited to partner with them in their good work. I was excited to partner with Foster Progress to help Nigel tell part of his story through images.....

Nigel is a hard working high school dedicated to dance and hoping this newly realized dream of dancing & performing professionally becomes a reality through the pursuit of studying performance dance in college! We met early on a rainy Saturday morning at Joel Hall dance studio in my old neighborhood in the city where Nigel has been studying and interning to learn as much as he can. We had a lot of laughs trying to decide exactly what we wanted to capture and include in his portfolio and other dancers would wander in and out offering their help and support. We captured jumps and bends that I could not do even back in my prime (I was gasping behind my lens numerous times)!

Nigel's warm smile and his affection, love, and respect for his grandmother made capturing his story a blessing! He shared that she was the one who pushed him to try contemporary and ballet when he didn't consider it an option. Sonya supported Nigel in many ways in his life and dared him to dream big. And even though he probably prefers the straight faced head shots his contagious laugh reveals so much about him and are my favorite images. As the sunlight grew stronger and our time in the rented studio neared an end ballet dancers for the first class of the day arrived along with Missy; one of Nigel's dance instructors who immediately embraced him and shared how proud she is of all his progress and hard work. Nigel also bragged on her for having dances on Facebook that went viral and for always believing in him.

Thanks Nigel & as I told him the day of our storytelling session: when you make it big I want a shout-out! I love partnering with organizations doing so much good in the world- please check out the work of Foster Progress!! Your stories make this work so worthwhile and I am grateful to have a glimpse into what the future could hold for Nigel.

In August I had the privilege to help create images that tell the important stories of Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago. These stories were shared in Metropolitan Family Service's 2017 annual report here. Partnering with organizations impacting change and empowering folks in their communities is my favorite work to do and I am grateful to be entrusted with these stories!

MFS's mission is to provide and mobilize the services needed to strengthen families and communities and I have worked with them to see just how that is occurring through their numerous programs that empower the community. Here are just 2 recent stories:

Meeting the first family at MSF's Midway's center began with 2 giggly little girls. I immediately adored them and their beautiful Mom; Jazmin. Jazmin is expecting her third little girl soon and told us about how much the Midway Center has meant to her family. At home they primarily speak Spanish at so she really was searching for an affordable, quality childcare center and preschool for her girls; Jayleen, 5, and Guadalupe, 4.

These sisters clearly adore each other and were so eager to show me their school!

Both girls now attend Midway Children’s Center, and when Jazmin’s third daughter, due in October, is old enough Jazmin plans to enroll her at Metropolitan’s Learning and Wellness Center. Jazmin told me that she really could not work without the support of MFS and their programs!

I accompanied them to the girl's classroom and it was easy to see why the girls look forward to coming to the center each day. There was singing, hands on play and much excitement in learning! The Midway Children's Center is just one way MFS is supporting & empowering families!

Adoption Preservation is an area that does not get enough research, support, and resources and I loved hearing about the difference and impact MSF's programs and resources has made on Katie & her family. Katie's first family struggled with addiction and the home environment was unstable and unsafe. Katie and her sister eventually came to live with their Aunt Gloria and her family. The transition was difficult as the girls dealt with trauma and adjusted to their new home. Gloria shared vulnerably that after the adoption she was at the end of her rope, "I could not find anyone willing to help."

Even though Katie was in a safe home she struggled day to day and their family reached out repeatedly for help only to discover dead ends and frustration amidst their difficulties. Gloria felt alone, frustrated, & desperate.

For years Gloria used every resource available to her — from hospitals to local agencies — but could not find the support they needed. After calling every agency in the DCFS handbook, she finally reached Tiaira Robinson, a therapist with Metropolitan’s Adoption Preservation program. Gloria said that it did not take long to see that Tiaira was trustworthy and was here for the long haul to help them!!

For a year now Katie has received therapy, psychiatric services, anger management classes, therapeutic day camp, and weekly visits with a mentor — and Tiaira has applied to extend services for an additional year.

Gloria says she feels peace now knowing that MSF will not leave them without support. These community empowering programs exist because of the good work of Metropolitan Family Services and I am grateful to get to see the impact and tell stories with MFS!

I was so excited to be a part of this project and want to cheer Manda on as she is living her purpose & encouraging and empowering us to live greener! I am so excited for this Mama and friend from our Chicago days to see her 2nd book published after years of hard work! She has such a gift to help parents see what is possible in caring for our world & our families well! She helped our family in our journey of cloth diapering (without any judgement) & is such an encouraging & loving member of the mama tribe. She is an inspiration!! Check out her website & learn more. I am cheering you on sister!!

Also, special thanks to my rock-star clients who were willing to lend their images to help tell the story of this book. I'm so grateful to get to do this work I love with families.

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)bookbossesgreenmamaphotographyhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/10/celebrating-the-green-mamas-newest-bookWed, 11 Oct 2017 17:29:15 GMTpromoting peace with my camera in handhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/9/promoting-peace-with-my-camera-in-hand
Images are powerful and can craft, reinforce, undo, or influence our thoughts and beliefs about others. Images have the potential to dissuade us from fear of the unknown or different and move us toward real love.

When I was asked to share what visual peacemaking means to me*, I was overwhelmed since I still consider myself a beginner in many ways. But after prayer and discussion, I realized visual peacemaking is not merely an approach or a tool in our belts. Rather, it is a process of becoming and we should always be learning. it is more about who you are than simply what you do and in that way I can share; not from a wealth of knowledge but from a common vision. A vision that strives to partner, build bridges rather than construct walls, and show the beautiful humanity and dignity in the people we encounter. We can choose to live life evading failure; only attempting what we are comfortable with or a pretty sure we can accomplish. I admit I can find myself leaning this direction because to step out is to risk. But it is always worth the journey. Photography continues to be a journey of risk for me, one that involves intentionally giving of myself and being stretched and changed.

Women pilgrims in the Ganga River. Varanasi, India.

Photography sort of happened to me. It arose from a deep desire I had to tell the stories of women that became my dear friends. I moved with my family to a small island in East Africa most people cannot find on a map. I had plans and those plans seemed to explode upon arrival. I thought I would have an adventure and help some folks along the way. We were there working to set up and teach in a vocational school and if I am honest I thought I was there to give more than be personally changed but God had a different agenda. The emotional pain of role deprivation and starting over in a place where I was now a complete idiot in the ways of daily life was very real and painful. It was humbling, but as I embraced that more and more it also allowed for a remaking and remolding in my life. I realized you cannot serve people you don't know and love. You cannot be trusted with their stories until you invest in their lives. And I so needed the people there to help me forge this new life. In the process of allowing others to help me, I realized that I was there to learn more than to teach, There was such joy in the friendships I found there because they were not formed merely because of similar culture backgrounds and shared views of life. My friendships on our island were forged through difference and a decision to move towards mutual respect and love.

Elimu. A morning at the local nursery school. Chukwani, Zanzibar.

For a long time I chose not to photograph my friends unless asked because I really wanted to communicate I loved them more than the image. To me visual peacemaking means spending time with people and really trying to see them. We all want to be seen and heard. And that seeing evokes in us common human emotions that deeply connect us all and compels us to share. This is why I so desperately wanted to participate in sharing their stories through photography and began to study and practice. I really believe the posture with which we engage people is more important than all the technical skills in the world. As I was wrecked with my friends' stories, I wanted to capture the mundane and the beautiful, the joy co-mingled with deep pain and suffering because it was a way to really see them and connect our lives as I searched for meaning in it all. I was not "ready" to live there and learn to love in ways that cost me personally, to start over, to be stretched in the ways required of me, but that is exactly where God wanted me. And photography became one way I found and continue to find peace even in the midst of chaos.

Preparing the day's catch. Tuk Kae village, Phuket, Thailand.

I think sometimes as photographers we can focus on the outcome and capturing "the" image but for me this often leads to me missing precisely the moments that are meant to bring understanding and promote peace. I think we all need to spend more time sitting on dirt floors eating rice and chapati with our hands and less time thinking about the perfect lighting and setting up tripods. Of course the final product is important and we honor our friends and those that invite us into their lives by striving towards excellence, but we cannot authentically communicate care and love if we do not invest in people. And maybe we should measure our success more in people with whom we have shared each other's sacred stories rather than just in the number of beautiful images.

a woman working. Harna, India.

I recently heard a speaker say, "The opposite of love is not hate, it is fear," and this really struck me. It reminded me of the verse in scripture that declares "perfect love expels all fear." We can fear what we do not understand and with photography I want to intentionally make choices to move from fear of the unknown or different to "perfect love". Visual peacemaking is first moving yourself in order that we may encourage others to move. But to do that we have to allow people's stories to burrow deep in our hearts. We have to have sleepless nights thinking about their challenges and pain. We have to accompany them as they celebrate and rejoice with them. We have to eat their food, hold their babies, trust them to hold ours, pray, dance, laugh, and cry together. Because that is the sacred stuff of life and that grants us permission and bestows upon us the responsibility to share our common humanity.

lighting offerings at sunrise. Varanasi, India.

Blessings on your journey, Roxanne

*this post has been adapted but was originally published as a guest blog on International Guild of Visual Peacemakers.

I climbed three flights of stairs stepping over lovely green plants decorating the apartment building to Ibtisam & her husband's home to meet the woman I had heard so much about. I had searched out her designs online long before we had the chance to meet and I just loved the color and detail in her work. Her designs bring a modern Arabic flare to Western fashion and I was grateful to be asked to help document her business on my photography story telling assignment for World Relief. More than just view her designs I wanted to sit with and listen to the woman who had the courage and strength to pursue her dreams using her seamstress & design talent after so much change and difficulty. Ibtisam & her husband warmly welcomed myself and a World Relief staffer; Tim to their home with sweets already set out for us. We greeted each other and began sharing and I was immediately struck with, and grateful for, their openness and willingness to share so much of their story.

They are from Iraq and both had successful businesses in their home country. Ibtisam designed and sewed everything from elaborate gowns to home decor such as curtains and employed 6 people in her shop. Her husband started and ran an aquarium deign and installation company. He ran the only shop of this kind in his hometown and had to learn as he went, even showing us his scares from broken glass the first time he learned to install floor to ceiling fish tanks. His fondness of these memories is so clear in his telling of them. They lived among family and friends and built lives they were proud of in Iraq.

The war changed their daily lives completely. They fled to Jordan an Ibtisam had to leave behind a business she had spent the last 20 years building. In Jordan they were undocumented and this meant they had to scrape together money to live, Ibtisam tearing up telling us that she often had to do so many alternations for the equivalent of 25 cents. Life was very hard for them those 4 1/2 years in Jordan as they lived under constant fear they would be sent back or killed. Ibtisam's older and younger brother were both violently killed and Ali was in contact with former neighbors who had heard death threats against them and others. Realizing there was no hope of returning to Iraq in the near future Ibtisam's husband applied to the United Nations in Jordan. As we listened to him tell us about the process he shared he really took a risk not knowing even what he was applying for, "I just knew we cannot make the life here and we cannot go home."

They were contacted by the UN and were called to come in- for what they did not know. They both were separately interviewed by UN representatives from 7am until 7pm about their stories that first time. Ali said he thought the interviewer was tough and he worried she hated him because of the intensity of the interview. Ibitisam agreed that retelling everything and being asked specific details apart from her husband was nerve-wracking. They did not know it then but this and the subsequent 3 interviews that were to come were the beginnings of the refugee screening process. After months of waiting and hearing nothing they gathered outside the UN to await the posting of a list. They described thousands of people in a crush of others waiting and praying their name appeared on this list. They saw their names. At this point as they told their story they both paused, held hands, and teared up. It was clear that looking back this one moment held so much hope and at the same time anxiety for what this would mean for them.

They had no idea where they would be relocated and what this would mean for them. They learned they were assigned to the United States and while they felt relief they also held in that complicated emotions of panic about starting again in a new country where they did not speak the language. Ali asked, "How will I do this life in the U.S.?" They arrived at O’hare in 2008 with 8 other families and with the help of World Relief resettled in this area. Just as the many refugee clients that come to the U.S., their stories do not begin when they arrive here with their IOM bag in hand and they also do not end with arriving in their new country of resettlement. Just to be away from immediate danger is not the end. There is so much rebuilding, cultural and language learning, healing, and life to live yet. There is such much to be negotiated about embracing new and holding on to old. As I sit with refugee clients and listen to their stories I am always impacted by the rich lives they left behind. The vivid memories they share of lives and loves and hardships and joys that they were forced to flee. Ibitisam and her husband shared many more sacred details of their lives and Tim and I listened, asked questions, and sat as witnesses to the rich lives they have lived and are living. I apologized to them for having to recount so many painful details but her husband quickly shook his head and said "no, you cannot forget these hard times." Sharing stories validates the ones sharing and allows the listeners to be stretched to embrace more of our human family and be reminded each of our stories matter too. We sensed that in some of the retelling there is also some healing.

They both continue to learn English and more about American culture (we had some laughs about this process) and make amazing use of the resources available to them here. Ibitisam restarted her business here and it quickly began growing. She realized she wanted to pursue a college degree in at a local community college since her training mostly has come from her mother in law back home in Iraq and her vast experience. She currently studies in the fashion design program and has already been awarded Most Outstanding Freshman Designer of the year! She shared s story at the recent World Relief Spotlight Event that her instructor could not believe the detail work she completed on a wedding dress in only a week. She laughs telling this story because she misunderstood the due date and although she had all semester thought she only had a week to complete it! She asked her to do it AGAIN during class time just to see and show the other students her technique! One of my favorite moments was when Ibtisam was recalled how nervous she was to arrive in the U.S., "I had no English so I wore this badge so nothing will happen to me." She wore a badge around her neck that gave information on who to call if she got lost because when she arrived she could not communicate in English. She produced this badge from a back room in their apartment within 2 minutes and showed it off. We all laughed about how far they have come since that day. How they can tell their story in English, welcome us to their home in America, and share about running a business here.

They run her business, Ibtisam Sewing, out of their apartment and her husband helps her with design (including designing and printing her custom labels). He beams when he talks about Ibtisam and her successes.

About 3 hours later we left their home with promises to return soon (which I will because I think I am needing a new bag :) and as we made our way back down the stairs and as I edited and culled through images I reflected on how grateful I am to be involved in this work. This good work of listening to stories, of being present with folks who make our country richer and stronger. I am grateful to Ibtisam and her husband for welcoming me and graciously sharing their lives and I look forward to watching more of their story unfold.

I met Peter last year when I captured images of his father in their home (and met his adorable weeks old baby!) & I had the privilege of visiting him again a few weeks ago in his new office for a story on refugee entrepreneurs for World Relief.

Peter arrived in the US in 2007 and only 10 years later has published a book to empower home buyers in the Burmese community, has a real estate business, & has founded a non-profit organization to help Burmese folks in his country. Learn more about Peter's story here.

Peter will be one of more than 20 businesses highlighted at World Relief's event on September 7th, Spotlight on Refugee and Immigrant Entrepreneurs. Come join me to hear many more stories of entrepreneurial spirit and community impact. Register here. See you there!

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)immigrantrefugeesreliefwelcomeworldhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/8/meet-peterWed, 30 Aug 2017 19:52:06 GMTcreating art with sand & lighthttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/8/creating-art-with-sand-light
I enjoyed meeting artist Mark Demel in his home and capturing the unique way he uses sand and light to create art. He taught himself this art form and can create an entire scene so quickly it really is amazing! The images will be used for a publication around Christmas time.

Last Friday was the last day of our Summer Youth Clubs for World Relief Dupage/Aurora. The summer program brought together kids and young adults from Burma, Iran, Sudan, Syria, and several other countries. I was invited to capture the kids learning together, crafting (and I may have tied Many-a-bracelets :), bonding with volunteers, learning to play American football, and making new friends. These programs are so important as World Relief helps refugee families adjust and feel confident in America. I loved watching the volunteers giving high fives to kids after their first touch down and the kids playing together with other kids from opposite ends of the globe who now share a common experience.

Local churches host these clubs and these programs are staffed by volunteers committed to World' relief's vision of partnering with local churches and volunteers to provide hope to those whose lives have been disrupted by violence and persecution. Learn more about getting involved here.

World Relief Dupage/Aurora thanked the many volunteers that make their work with refugees and immigrants possible Friday night with a celebration that included food & performances from around the world (the food y'all!!). There were food stalls from 9 countries serving small portions of ethnic food, great discussions around the tables, roaring applause as different groups shared their cultural dances with us all, salsa lessons for the brave, henna, & jump houses and face painting for the kids. Seeing so many people gathered who are involved year round with welcoming refugees and immigrants in big and small ways was special. The executive director offered a prayer and thanked everyone present because without volunteers the good work of World Relief is not possible! Seeing folks from so many cultures enjoying and celebrating each other in one place is a beautiful thing. The theme was anchored in hope and it was a night that serves as a great reminder that we work for the good of all people because we have hope in the future.

Easter was so special. Our daughter Evangeline told part of her story which; as we were reminded that morning, is the story God is writing in her, in all of us. She was baptized surrounded by friends and family and friends who are family. She had the most amazing mentor; Katie who poured into her, shared with vulnerability and beauty her own story, loved her, encouraged, and challenged Evy. We all cried so much our heads hurt and smiled so much our faces are sore. It was all blessing & we are so grateful to God for the Good Good work He is doing.

I love capturing events that are part of our story, part of our culture, our beliefs, and who we are.....being behind the camera this time was even harder to hold it together because it was our family and I had ALL the FEELS!! We are Easter people!

When I first wrote an email to International Justice Mission about our trip to Thailand and my desire to partner with them I knew it was a long shot but the small voice inside me had become too loud to ignore in the weeks and months that preceded that moment so, with latte in hand sitting at my computer while my son played trains at my feet I wrote an email. I had heard about IJM's work in rescuing and advocating for young women that had been violently abused and trafficked. This is an epidemic that we can forget exists in our small corner of the world. But for our family the issue of sexual abuse and the brokenness of the systems set up to protect victims was becoming all too real. After I read The Locust EffectI could not shake the stories. I had heard the statistics about this epidemic and while they would momentarily arouse me from my affluent and privileged stupor I would soon fill my lives with the immediate. But the stories of girls the ages of our girls that had been abused, trafficked, and/or raped and then even after rescue had no recourse for true justice left me sleepless and wondering if we really believe ALL people are created in His image because our (and my own) inaction tell a different story."Sexual violence is a truly global epidemic that leaves millions around the world terrified in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Sexual violence can include rape, molestation and other forms of sexual abuse. Although anyone can be a victim of sexual violence, this form of violence most frequently impacts women and girls—and impoverished women and girls are particularly vulnerable." -IJM. After several more "coincidences" of mentions of IJM's work in a podcast or a book a friend recommended that mentioned IJM I decided to see if I could use this passion for photography to help IJM tell these important stories.

When I got the email response that I would be photographing young women who were bravely fighting through the broken systems to seek justice in their cases I just sat at my computer reading and rereading the specifics (that I cannot share here) of their stories. They were now young women I would meet and be trusted to capture part of their story and that felt weighty. I sensed then and experienced even more after traveling to Thailand the importance of the HOPE that can come from people standing together to fight injustices, to use their collective voices to join in to say these young women and their families and their stories MATTER. It was an amazing privilege to meet the brave men and women who work for IJM; many of whom have to keep their identities a secret because of the potential risk to their lives. The support for their clients in court and through after care is remarkable. I learned rescue is only a small part of the story. It was a gift to meet the young women making brave choices in the face of grave evil and injustice to believe and show us all that hope and justice ARE POSSIBLE. The few images here are from one story I covered while in Thailand and these images protect these young women's identities as their cases are ongoing. IJM will share more as the cases progress and hopefully I can share more about the important work of IJM through images and stories soon.

After spending time with IJM employees and clients in Thailand I was changed. I am still processing and learning and trying to find my way amidst what God is showing me. Seeking justice is bold and brave in world that seeks to devalue women and girls. Seeking justice is difficult because systems, families, and in our very selves there is deep brokenness. Seeking justice is powerful because it communicates that we are all human and therefore valuable and precious by our birth right as beings created in the image of our Creator. Learn more about IJM's good work in preventing, advocating for, and helping victims of sexual violence heal here

"IJM is an international human rights agency that supports the world's largest corps of local, indigenous advocates providing direct service to impoverished victims of violent abuse and oppression in the developing world." Gary Haugen in The Locust Effect.

This image reminds me that we can choose to be distracted from the issues of justice for all people because there will always be life moving quickly all around us but truly looking and choosing to SEE and Hear the stories can change us. Friends- please join me to pray! Educate yourself! Mourn injustice (but do not stop there)! Pray! Act! Advocate!

April is sexual assault awareness month so after reading more and seeing Griselda's* story my older girls wanted to get involved in making a difference! The result: Baked Goods for the Good! If you are local and would like to support Annikah's efforts to Be the Good please reach out!

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)AprilIJMThailandawarenesshumanitarianphotographerphotographysexualviolencehttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/4/braveyoungwomenthosestandingwiththemThu, 06 Apr 2017 22:59:32 GMTSpring Mini Lifestyle Sessions are HERE!http://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/3/spring-mini-lifestyle-sessions-are-here
You asked & Spring Mini Lifestyle Sessions are finally here!! Yay!! Only 1 day this year so contact me asap if you are interested- they will go quickly. These 20 min mini sessions are a perfect way to update a family portrait, create an image for a card or special event, or just to have a few special moments captured. I would LOVE to work with you to capture you & your family!

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)children'sfamilyminiphotographysessionsspringhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/3/spring-mini-lifestyle-sessions-are-hereWed, 29 Mar 2017 14:41:49 GMTtreasures, sun, sand, & waveshttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/3/treasures-sun-sand-waves
Beach life is the good life if you ask me. I learned to appreciate the healing and calming waves, salty air, & sandy toes on a small island many miles away in East Africa but I will always adore the beach. Anywhere she is found. The beach is like therapy for me. There is just always something about it vastness and my smallness that makes me remember how big God is and how much we are blessed to get to feel the warm sand beneath our toes as we look out into the blue depths and marvel at creation.

I wanted to capture some of the details of our day at what many call "Shark Teeth Beach" or Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. This place is pretty amazing and even gets mention in National Geographic for being the "shark tooth capital of the world." My kids left the beach that day with ziplock baggies full of "treasures" and I left with these images that I treasure of a day spent in the wind, waves, and sand. Happy Spring break friends!!

Yesterday my girls and I headed to the "Bean" officially known as Cloud Gate in Chicago to join with kids who organized a march to show our support for refugees and refugee resettlement to our area. It was a small way we; as World Relief volunteers, can use our voices to say "We Welcome Refugees!" and will continue to do so. I was proud of my girls and it was cool to see the kids who organized the event share and lead us all into activism. Children exercising their rights as citizens to advocate for vulnerable people is so awesome to see!

Learn more about welcoming refugees here and more about volunteering with World Relief here.

]]>roxanne@hawaimages.com (Hawa Images)Chicagokidsmarchrefugeesreliefworldhttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/3/kids-march-to-say-we-welcome-refugees-in-chicagoMon, 27 Mar 2017 16:57:35 GMTSIVs tell their storieshttp://www.hawaimages.com/blog/2017/3/sivs-tell-their-stories
Last week many gathered in Cafe K'Tizo (umm, try the vanilla herbal tea latte!!) to hear some of the stories of those who have come to the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa Program (commonly know as SIVs). Hearing some of the stories of Afghani and Iraqi translators and military who helped U.S. troops puts a face to the SIVs program. Ali (far left above) was the first Iraqi to arrive toWorld Relief Dupage Aurorathrough the SIVs program. Since that time 36 Iraqis have arrived through WRDA with SIVs starting in 2009 and 26 Afghans since 2014. Throughout America's many years of presence in other countries our military relies heavily on upon the support of Afghan and Iraqi nationals. Many have served as interpreters, engineers, security guards, cultural advisors, and other roles. Groups like the Taliban and Iraqi death squads have been known to show no mercy to these individuals and often they fear daily for their security. Many SIVs apply for the program after their lives or their family's lives are threatened for their involvement with aiding our troops overseas. Many arrive in the U.S. with strong English skills, advanced education, and professional experience. As the current changes to the refugee program are debated this event helped highlight the importance to the SIVs program as these folks have risked their lives to help the United States.

Wasim shared passionately about his adjustment to life in the United States including profusely thanking his job skills teacher who was sitting in the front row to support him. He also teared up sharing about his hopes to save enough money to bring his family here in the future.

Muzghan shared about her life as a woman working on a base in Afghanistan and the struggles she faced there because of her involvement with the U.S. military as a woman. She is extremely proud that here in the United States she can work freely.

Ali, who speaks 4 languages and currently works as a electronics consultant ended the night with a plea for mutual understanding and compassion. "We're all human beings, we're just people. Everyone needs to know that in Iraq, there are good, hard-working people, and many of them right now are suffering."

I am grateful to partner with WRDA to help them tell these important stories!

The Chicago Tribune also covered the event and some of Hawa Image's photographs of the evening were published (see & read more here.)